National News & Announcements

A D-Day veteran has told how he disobeyed his Captain’s orders to save a young soldier’s life as troops stormed the beaches of Normandy 75 years ago. Ron Wilson, now aged 94, is among up to 300 veterans, aged in their 90s and some aged over 100, who have set sail from Dover to France to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day operation. When he set sail 75 years ago, he played a part in the largest seaborne invasion in history that included a fleet of more than 7,000 vessels storming across the English Channel.

More Than Half Of Brits Wish They Had Asked Their Grandparents More About The War New research reveals that 46% of Brits are concerned that D-Day is at risk of being forgotten when the last veterans pass away.

A leaked memorandum warns that veterans should be offered "equal, rather than preferential, treatment" in relative to other groups. Theresa May personally blocked ministers from proposing a new legislation that could have protected veterans from prosecution for alleged offences during the Northern Ireland Troubles. In an official memo, sent on behalf of the Prime Minister, it sets out instructions that unsolved murders during the Troubles "should not contain" proposals for a statute of limitations on historic prosecutions of veterans.

It is after legislation was proposed to prevent the prosecution of some personnel, but that would not apply to Northern Ireland. MPs have hit out at the Government following reports that plans to protect armed forces veterans from prosecution will not apply to Northern Ireland. The Government faced accusations of making a "rancid backstairs deal" with Sinn Fein, as MPs lined up to call for better protection for ex-servicemen and women from "vexatious attacks" and being pursued through the courts. Mark Francois dubbed proposals to re-investigate every fatality during the Troubles from the late 1960s onwards as "IHAT mark two", after the controversial Iraq Historic Allegations Team investigation, which was shut down over fraudulent claims of criminality by soldiers.

British troops and veterans will be given stronger legal protections against prosecution, Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt will announce. The new law would protect them from investigation over actions on the battlefield abroad after 10 years, except in "exceptional circumstances". Ms Mordaunt said it would prevent "repeated or unfair investigations".